Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (Bayreuth, December 19 1671 - Pretzsch (Elbe), September 4 1727) was the wife of Augustus II the Strong.
She was the only daughter of Margrave Christian Ernst of Bayreuth and Sophie Luise, daughter of Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg.
She married in Bayreuth at the age of 21 on January 20 1693 August of Saxony, the future King of Poland. This was a purely political wedding.
Their son Friedrich August was born 3 years later on October 17 1696 in Dresden.
August of Saxony converted to Catholicism to become King of Poland, but Christiane Eberhardine remained faithfull to her Protestant believe, and wasn't present at her husband's coronation. Her protestant countrymen named her "The Pillar of Saxony".
Christiane Eberhardine retired in her castle at Pretzsch an der Elbe or in Hartenfels Castle in Torgau, and was only seen in Dresden at the occasional festivity. In her volontary exile she led a life of culture and took interest in the faith of orphaned children. She was also active in the field of the economy : in 1697 she overtook the Glashütte in Pretzsch, founded by Constantin Fremel .
A lonely women, Christiane Eberhardine von Brandenburg-Bayreuth died at the age of 55 and was buried on September 6 in the Stadtkirche. Neither her husband, nor her son were present at the funeral.
At this occassion, Johann_Sebastian_Bach wrote for her Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl on at text of Johann_Christoph_Gottsched, which was performed for the first time on October 15 1727 in the Paulinerkirche.
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